WHITE ASPARAGUS AU GRATIN

INGREDIENTS

15 white asparagus spears

small bunch of fresh herbs such as lemon thyme, thyme, dill, basil, or chives

3/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk

2 tbsp fat-free plain regular or greek yogurt

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 1/2 oz parmesan cheese

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1.  Prepare the aspargus:  Peel and trim the asparagus to remove the outer layer and break off the bottoms.  Slice the spears lengthwise and lay them in an oiled casserole dish.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs.

2.  To make the sauce: Pour the evaporated milk, yogurt, and mustard into a pan and place over medium heat.  Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat slightly and let bubble to reduce by about a quarter.  Season the reduced mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  To make the breading:  Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper in a bowl.

4.  Layering the dish:  Pour the sauce over the halved asparagus spears in the dish.  Then sprinkle with the breading mixture.  Drizzle the remaining oil and melted butter over the top.

5.  Bake it on the middle shelf of the oven until the top is crisp and golden and the cream bubbles up around the sides of the dish, about 15 to 20 mins.  Sprinkle with remaining fresh herbs and serve.

Recipe modified from epicurious.com